Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-04-30
LYDR0PHOBIA.
AN EMINENT SPECIALIST ON
THE DREADED DISEASE,
He Says Many Reputed Cases of
Rabies are SpuriOus-No Genu-
inc Case of the Disease iu
Anserica in Two Years,

DR.. Edward c. Spitzka, the well known
New York alienist has e lively article in
the Form, on the THE Hvdrophohia
Bug-bear." While not disputing the
existence of rabies in man, he shows that
study of the disease is made difficult by
vague, conflicting and unreliable symp
toms. AS to its presence in dogs, he
says much of the observation is made
Through optics disturbed by fear, and
by persons who are incompetent to de
scribe and interpret what they see." The
best authorities to-day incline to regard
the majoritieS of cases of reputed rabies
in man as spurious. Patients may suffer
from any one of large humber from all
ments, producing symptoms similar to
those attributed to hydrophobia Terror,
superstition, popular alarm and other
influences affecting ignorant minds may
produce all epidemic of nervous disorders
marked by the manifestations mistakenly
supposed to cmanate from attacks of
rabies. The extent to which erroneous
notions may prevail is thus Illustrated
by DIR. Spitzka;
From the fifteenth century, when Alsatian
peasants Imagined they were changed to
wolves, ran on all fours, bowling and tear
ing children to pieces, insisting that their
limbs be Topped off in order 10 convince 9TH
ers that the wolfsh flir grew inward from
their skins, down to the present day, wher
those dreadng hytlrophobia bark Ike dogs,
new like cats, and are thrown into convul-
sions at the sight % water the records of hy-
drophobia ME replete to overlooking with
delusion, superstition hystera, and uncon.
SclouS stimulation. The tragi-comic7Al case of
number of persons dying IN the sixteenth
century after having eaten of pig that had
Eeen bitten by a tnG, which in its turn had
been bitten by another and rabid eve, found
its counterpart a few weeks ago in Russia
where d medical editor, a follower of Pasteur
u9Sested the treating of number of persons
II the Pastcur Institute, at Odessa, for no
better reason than that they had partaken Of
milk from COW bitten by rabid dog. That
writer not alone out-PaStouied Pasceur, but
also emulated the solicitute of the German
count who in an antique folio figures an ap-
paratus for restraining rabid persons lt
consists OF an iron cage an oil-clcth vesttire
handouts and mask with eye glasses, like d
divers head gear. The object of this was to
protect the attendants against Tie exhala-
tons of rabid virus supposed to emanate
from the body Even at this day cases of
epileptic, alcoholic and traumatic delirium are
reported as rabies, and, if they happen to CO
inside with a scare contribute to the in
lcHSlHtotioH anu EIoIcHSitlOn OF puDilc
alarm.
Numerous instances are apecifed with
crisp comments Indicating the slight
foundation on which rests the prevailing
apprehension regarding the danger of
hydrophobia. Scores of observations
, might be added continues the doctor,
cali tending to prove that during the
past two years there has been NO reported
! case of rabies in man In this country
which could not be referred to an error
of observation. Before scientific tests
all the newspaper alarms are shown to
have been either fabrications, exaggera-
lions or mistakes" His investigations
include a much wider range, however,
and have been pursued in other countries,
with results practically the same. "Mean-
while,' continues DR.. Spitzka, 1--WE may
console ourselves with the reflection that
rabies in man is rare disease in the
United States, and that no demonstrated
epidemic affecting the human species
has occurred within the past fifteen
years. Notwithstanding every effort
made by the writer to secure the OBJ
servation of a case of rabies in man
or in the dog, not a single opportunity
has offered itself during the last eight
years, and in New York but one dog
has been reported as rabid by com
petent authority since the dog-pound
there has been opened"
Of course, Dr. Spitzka's views are di-
ametrically opposed to those of Pasteur
and his disciples and supporters, and the
| American specialist deals some hard
blows at the French experimentalist, re-
fcrring to numerous cases which illustrate
either the fallacy of Pasteur's theories or
| the ineifectivcness Of his methods. The
most direct hit consists in these passages !:
''Pasteur institutes had begun to grow up
in various parts of the globe In New
York the death of Pastcur institute was
almost simultaneous with its BIRTH This
is held to demonstrate that practical
Americans attach no importance to Pas
| tours alleged discoveries, and is pretty
substantial testimony to that effect
Summing up, DR.. Spitzka concludes as
follows:
Son eliminating the cases of spurious and
improperly designated rabies from the NOR
tuary tables, the number of real cases re-
manning will be found so small that the entire
subject Of the prevention and treatment of
rabies in man will seem an insignificant prob
lem as compared with that relating to the
part borne by domestic animals in conveying
! the contagion of measles diphtheria and scar
| let fever the deaths from which diseases in
any given day exceed hundredfold whole
years mortality through rabies
These are facts and opinions which if
widely disseminated should result in
greatly allaying the popular dread of ny
drophobia. Nevertheless, it is we'll to be
on the side of prudence and DR.. Spitzka
himself urges the muzzling of dogs and
such other precautions as will not only
prevent but as far as possible exterminatc
rabies in the canine world.-Troy Times.
Migration Of an Entire Village.